So, apparently the pdf was released yesterday and there is no preview, so I really don't know if it will interest me or not. Did anyone buy it and could be a dolll and make a statement about it?

I just picked it up. It's only 15 pages (13 plus the cover and the Jackpoint splash page), but only $4.95.

It's really devoted to fleshing out the Way of each adept, in a manner similar to Traditions for magicians. There are more Ways listed (9 total, including the Athlete and Warrior from SR4A), and each Way has a Quality associated with it. The Quality is 10 BP, but it's optional and in addition to the 5 BP it costs to be a normal Adept. Each quality provides a 25% discount to point costs of associated adept powers and an added bonus for certain metamagics.

There are 8 new adept powers, each limited to a particular Way (the Burnout's Way doesn't get one except where the adept once followed another Way), including one that augments Logic and another that augments Intuition. That medic adept with Mind Over Body (from War!) is looking more attractive all the time, since the Way that gets access to the Logic-augmenting power also gets the discount on Improved Ability (first aid) and can use Adept Centering metamagic for it as well.

That's pretty much it. There's no new gear. I think the supplement is cool, and it's a good value for the price if you're playing an adept.

Nice, I'll buy it when I get home. It sounds really interesting.
No new metamagic?

Welcome to Adept Run.

The rules are optional and described as such. That being said my players have always claimed adepts are hamstrung when compared to their cybered(?) fellow runners and I think this could change their thinking.

Rather than start a new thread, I'll put what I would have put in an announcement thread here:

We have a new PDF-only product out, and if you like adepts of any flavor, this is for you! The Way of the Adept presents new rules for adept Ways, giving you the opportunity to design themed adepts who can become more powerful through their discipline. It's part of the new Shadowrun Options line, presenting optional rules to let you customize your game as you like. It's available at the Battleshop and at Drivethrurpg. Here's the basic info:

LEARN THE WAYS OF POWER

Something is happening to the adepts of the Sixth World. They’re becoming stronger, faster—some of them are even becoming more charming. Studies indicate that the improvements are fixing on the most disciplined of adepts, those who integrate their abilities into the greater whole known as a Way. By following these Ways, adepts are reaching new levels of power.

The Way of the Adept is the first in the Shadowrun Options line of products. This line offers optional rules that can add new levels of fun to your Shadowrun game. The Way of the Adept presents fiction and in-character information to set the context for these optional rules, along with the information you need to develop characters who use their discipline to realize new strength.

The Way of the Adept is for use with Shadowrun, Twentieth Anniversary Edition.

Jason H.

I also have to ask: Metamagic?

Sounds like Player's Option: Skills and Powers book to me, just limited to adepts. I'm assuming more will be coming out for each 'class'.

It seems pretty simple to house rule adept powers to increase mental attributes, and I'm not sure I'd be in favor of a quarter discount on powers, unless it corresponded with an increase in 'opposed' powers.

Ugh. I can already guess what one one of the powers is:
Point at someone/something. You don't need to be able to see your target. The entity you are pointing at is destroyed next round. No opposed check.
Sounds like the next logical stage for magic. (IMG:style_emoticons/default/sarcastic.gif)

We both know that only Mages would get that. Adepts would just punch it into orbit. Besides, right now most things adepts can do chrome can do better.

Huh? Cyber-users may get out of the box fast, but they run out of new stuff to implant quite rapidly (as well as essence, even with deltaware, unless one take a chance on zombification).

No new metamagic.

The discount only applies to (Magic/2) powers (which probably isn't a huge limitation), chosen from a specific list for each Way. The Way costs 10 BP (or 20 Karma, if your GM allows, as with most qualities). Yes, there's potential for a power creep, but I'm not sure it's a gigantic leap in power. There's a tradeoff for BP/Karma, of which adepts are chronically short...it's harder for an adept to increase in power than even a mage, since the adept has to actually increase his or her Magic score to get more powers (unless you're using the Initiation = power point house rule).

Fixed that for you...

Nooo, they stole my idea (IMG:style_emoticons/default/frown.gif)

Info text:

LEARN THE WAYS OF POWER


Something is happening to the adepts of the Sixth World. They’re becoming stronger, faster—some of them are even becoming more charming. Studies indicate that the improvements are fixing on the most disciplined of adepts, those who integrate their abilities into the greater whole known as a Way. By following these Ways, adepts are reaching new levels of power.

The Way of the Adept is the first in the Shadowrun Options line of products. This line offers optional rules that can add new levels of fun to your Shadowrun game. The Way of the Adept presents fiction and in-character information to set the context for these optional rules, along with the information you need to develop characters who use their discipline to realize new strength.

The Way of the Adept is for use with Shadowrun, Twentieth Anniversary Edition.

Initiation = Power Point is one of the most retarded optional rules ever.

Just bought the PDF but drivethru won't let me download. Meh.

That optional rule is in Street Magic too, isn't it?

I think it was only shown in Street Magic.

Yeah, that's where it is from, it isn't in Way of the Adept. The second printing I think, it isn't in the version of Street Magic I have. I found it about it from somewhere on the forum complaining of adepts growing overpowered and then finally mentioning they were using this rule. Well duh, yeah adepts will grow overpowered if you use it.

Actually, you didn't. That optional rule only appears in the 2nd printing of Street Magic. It was removed from the 3rd printing for some reason, so it's tecnically no longer a valid optional rule.

There aren't new any Metamagics, but each Way does offer a bonus to existing ones. The power discount is the primary advantage of taking a Way Quality, but they also get a boost to a few Metamagics and access to a (new) Way-only power.

Does the invisible way adept power really give +1 bonus to the entire Stealth group per 0.5 power point?

The Favored Powers box in the Way pdf still refers to it as an optional rule, though. It even gives the page number where the optional rule is found. I'm confused by this. (IMG:style_emoticons/default/indifferent.gif)


Only up to a +3.

When in doubt, I include page numbers for anything I refer to. Some folks still have the book, some folks still use the rule, so I try to be inclusive and reference it (page number and all, to make life easier on anyone looking for it).